Bangladesh women’s football looking forward to make winning start as they face the Maldives in their opening group A match of the sixth edition of SAFF Women’s Championship scheduled to be held today Wednesday at Dasarath Rangasala Stadium in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.

The match kicks off at 5.45 pm (BST).

Prior to the first match, Bangladesh women football team’s head coach Golam Robbani Choton expressed his high hope to make a winning start in the championship.

Talking to the pressmen Tuesday, Choton said they have taken over six weeks preparation in Dhaka for the tournament and his girls fitness level is quite satisfactory at the moment.

He said: “We also got opportunity to make three days practice in Nepal …As the first match against Maldives a challenge for us so I think girls are prepared to take the challenge and able to win against the Maldives.”

Commenting about the weather, Choton said the local weather is a bit chilly compared to Dhaka but the girls have accustomed with the local weather because they did not fell any uncomfortable situation due to the weather during the training session.

Replying to a question, the Bangladesh’s head coach said his girls are already focused on the first match against the Maldives and he hoped that they would give their maximum effort from the beginning of the match and leave the field with victory.

The head coach informed that they might miss the service of dependable defender Anai Mogini who suffered injury on her left foot toes during the team’s practice session on Sunday though Choton still hopeful of getting the service of Mogini in the first match against the Maldives.

Skipper Sabina Khatun said: “Alhamdulillah finished the last session before the first match… girls are well motivated and hopefully today Wednesday will be a good match.”

The prolific striker thinks that spectators now have enough confidence in women’s football as they think women footballers can play good football now.

All the participating teams have come here with goal and the Bangladesh team is not exception in this regards.

She said their first target is to start the first match well to get a good result.

Meanwhile, the Sabina and Co. completed their last training session Tuesday at Army Headquarters in Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, Maldives Captain Aymeeth Liza also found confident to fight against Bangladesh.

She said: “I know that Bangladesh is a group of talented people who depend on youth. They play good brand of football but we will make our best effort to beat Bangladesh.”

Apart from host Nepal, six more countries — India, Bangladesh, the Maldives, Pakistan, Bhutan and Sri Lanka — split into two groups, will compete in the regional tournament.

India are the defending champions of the SAFF championship and won the highest numbers (four times) of titles.

Bangladesh, which pitted at group A along with India, Pakistan and the Maldives, will start their tournament campaign taking on the Maldives on September 7, play the second group match against Pakistan on September 10 and face India in their third and last group match on September 13.

After the group phase matches the top two teams from each group will play the cross semifinals on September 16 while the final of the championship is slated for September 19. All the matches will be played at Dasarath Rangasala Stadium.

Bangladesh women’s team: Rupna Chakma, Etie Rani, Sathi Biswas, Masura Parvin, Mossammat Akhi Khatun,
Shamsunnahar, Sheuli Azim, Nilufa Yesmin Nila, Anai Mogini, Maria Manda (vice-captain), Monika Chakma, Shamsunnahar, Sohagi Kisku, Sapna Rani, Ritu Porna Chakma, Sanjida Akhter, Marzia, Sabina Khatun (captain), Srimoti Krishnarani Sarkar, Mosammat Sirat Jahan Shopna, Tohura Khatun, Anuching Mogini and Sajeda Khatun.